Dramatic Encounter

Passionate Worship - Monroe County, MS DNow

2011-02-15T10:41:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things about what I do is standing backstage listening to the crowd worship. There’s something powerful about a room full of voices exalting their risen Savior. This was the scene a few weeks ago at the Monroe County Disciple Now in Amory, MS—I was supposed to follow the last worship song with the final installment of Stella’s story (from “Grace’s Café”) but when the band finished the song the students kept singing. They kept singing and they didn’t stop. So persistent were they in their worship that the band picked up where the students were leading and continued to play. I was on my knees behind the curtain worshiping with them, in awe of our great God.

After the message the band led the students in worship again. Their passion was so focused on Christ that the room sparked with electricity. As I approached the stage to continue worship through the sketch “Worthy of Glory” I simply prayed that God would be glorified through my offering and that these students would be captivated by the Truth of the scriptures that would be spoken over them. During the sketch I began to recount the worthiness of God from creation to the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the apex of the sketch the students began to cheer so loudly that I simply could not say another word. At the mention of His victory over the grave students began to cheer, clap, praise, shout and jump up and down! When the room was finally quiet enough to finish the last few lines of the sketch I was once again drowned out in a wave of praise unto the Lord!

It is nights like this that fuel my passion for the arts in worship. Drama can be an incredible tool for connecting an individual to Christ. Combining creative elements like music and drama for worship creates an experience with which everyone, no matter where they are in their walk with Christ, can identify. I am passionate about worshiping Christ, and I believe He has instilled in me this gift so that I can help lead others in passionate worship of the One who has paid our debt.

Students of Monroe County, MS—thank you for an unforgettable weekend of Christ centered worship. It was an honor to worship with you, and I pray you spread your passion to the schools, workplaces and neighbors around you.

Is "Drama" a dirty word?

2011-01-13T08:40:00.001-06:00

Is “drama” a dirty word in your church? So many churches have a hard time incorporating dramatic works into their services or events simply because drama has, overall, been poorly presented for quite some time. While there have been some gifted writers, actors, and producers who have successfully brought dramatic art to life, many struggle with how to, or even if they should, use drama in church.

One thing that Dramatic Encounter is passionate about is elevating the level of excellence in art within the church. I personally believe Christians should bring excellence to their art (or whatever it is that you’ve been called to do) simply because Jesus deserves the sacrifice of our very best. Moreover, if we are to be a light in a dark world and an encouragement to the body then we must be competitive to what the world offers.

Are you using drama in your church services or events? How would you encourage others to incorporate effective dramatic pieces within their worship services?

Special Announcement

2010-01-20T09:58:00.002-06:00

In May of 2010 Dramatic Encounter will celebrate five years of ministry. What a joy it has been to serve and share with everyone I have met in the past four and a half years. It is hard to believe that I've had the privilege to travel so much in order to share the gospel and I have loved every minute of it! However, as Ecclesiastes says, there is a time for everything, and the time has come to rest.

This past fall my Board of Directors and I discussed me taking a sabbatical for the year of 2010. They have encouraged a season of rest so that I may physically recoup from many miles of travel, experience spiritual renewal, and gain perspective and direction for the future of Dramatic Encounter. Therefore I officially requested a sabbatical season for 2010 which was granted by the Board in December.

We will be honoring all of the dates already booked for this year. Also, please let me make it clear that this decision does not mean that DE is ending, is in financial trouble, or anything of the sort. We are simply following the Lord's leading into a season of rest, reflection and pursuit of what He has for us in the days to come.

I am so blessed to be surrounded by wise and encouraging friends and ministry partners who are looking out for the best interest of this ministry and for me. I extend my gratitude to my Board for helping me understand it's not only "ok" to rest but a biblical mandate! I covet your prayers during this time and a list of specific prayer requests can be found in the prayer request column.

Thank you for journeying with me, for supporting this ministry through your prayers, finances and encouragement. I look forward to what the Lord has in store for 2010!

Blessings,
Emory Colvin

-Emory is looking for full time employment. Please pray that she is able to find a job that will sustain her needs during this time.

-Pray for rest for Emory physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually

-Ask the Lord to give Emory and the Board perspective and direction for the future of Dramatic Encounter's ministry. Our desire is to work where He is working.

-Pray that donors would continue to give during this season of rest. Even though we are not traveling, there are still overhead expenses to cover such as website maintenance, accounting fees, etc.

-Pray for Emory, the IWC leadership team and the 80 college students who are heading to Athens, Greece for two weeks of ministry in March. Emory leaves for Project Coordinator training in Atlanta Monday, January 25th, then will continue on to Athens on January 29th for a site visit. Pray for travel mercies and wisdom in ministry planning.

Camp. The Beginning.

2009-06-19T10:39:00.008-05:00

Several weeks ago I made the 2 day 22 hour drive from Nashville, TN to Glorieta, New Mexico. It's been a wild ride! The leadership team got here early to get everything set up for our team. This meant unloading the truck:

We ended up having two trucks of stuff to make camp happen! Here are a few pics of my stuff:

Most of my set boxes, cases and general auditorium stuff
Backline for the bands
10 Intelligent Lights for our lighting system

Training week was a lot of fun. Our staff is fantastic!! We have a team of hard workers who love Jesus and are excited about pouring into their students. Here are a few shots from our training week:

The Crew--love this new family!!

We get a little crazy sometimes...

First year staffers learning the ropes...

We use a lot of butcher paper at camp...

After we went through training we started building the set pieces...I've got a great support staff and they work so hard!! We also have a lot of fun together.

The tower

Building truss
Making progress...
Dirty hands. I washed mine before we took the picture...it used to be dirty...

We are now wrapping up week 2 of camp, I'll be posting more updates over the next week. Please pray for us as we will have new campers every Monday morning!

Speaking of Random Proposals...

2009-04-30T14:32:00.003-05:00

I just found out that this has hit You Tube...in July 2007 a very special group came to FUGE camp at North Greenville University. This special group included three guys who really liked my morning show character Bertie. The following occurred after the Benji and Bertie night life:

Greece Day 5: Nafplio

2009-04-16T09:36:00.006-05:00

This city is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. See the proof below:

These were taken from atop a castle that we were able to tour. It was simply breathtaking! The water fort pictured above is called the Bourtzi and was built by the Venetians in the 1400s to police pirates. The castle is called the Palamidi Fortress and was built in the 1700s. We explored throughout the castle and took many more photos:

One of the fun tunnels

The Fortress Wall

Seth and Mitch exploring down below

One of the prison cells in the castle. We had to crawl through a tight space to check this out! It was a special experience for two of the members of our party who had been arrested and jailed together for sharing the Gospel message with the Roma people group in another area of Greece.

After our castle exploration we had to walk back down to the city. And by walk I mean we climbed down 1044 steps. It was intense! Here's a look at the stairs...

At the beginning of our trek
So many more steps to go!

We had a beautiful afternoon visiting the shops and walking around the city before a wonderful Greek meal and a nice drive home. That night we had a celebration service and praised the Lord for the wonderful works He has done and will continue to do!

Thank you so much for praying over this trip and I ask that you continue to pray for the precious people of Athens. If you would be interested in taking a trip like this to serve the world around you check out The Task for more information.

Greece Day 5::Corinth

2009-04-15T16:07:00.007-05:00

We got up early and loaded the bus on Friday to head to Corinth and Nafplio for our "tourist" day. As we rode one of the former missionaries shared the history of the area with us and I was riveted, but a few others just wanted to sleep. :) So I went and sat up front with him to get the scoop on all the wars and such. I'm a history nut, remember? Our first stop was the Corinth Canal. Before the canal existed ships were rolled over land on logs, winterized and repaired before reentering the sea. This is where Paul, Aquila and Priscilla would have set up their tent making business because the sailors had to sleep somewhere! So they bought tents and would wait for the ship to set sail once again. Nowadays ships just cruise right on through this beautiful canal.

After this short stop we headed into Ancient Corinth. We were given a self guided Bible study tour booklet and walked the city stopping in different sections to read Scripture that directly referenced or correlated with things we were seeing right then. Talk about an amazing time! Here are some of the highlights:

Temple of Apollo
Acro Corinth, the Temple of Aphrodite

Bema Seat, where Paul was taken before the Proconsul
Jennifer and I in front of the Bema Seat, right behind us is the whipping post

The runner starter blocks for the Corinth Olympics
Fountain of Pierene

It was such a special moment to stand in the middle of Ancient Corinth and realize that Paul stood there; I closed my eyes and imagined it as it must have looked in days gone by, bustling with shopkeepers, locals and dignitaries. This is where the Corinthian church was born! This experience has deeply affected how I read 1 and 2 Corinthians.

Next stop: the beautiful city of Nafplio!

Greece Day 4 (or The Day I Got Proposed to on Mars Hill)

2009-04-15T14:22:00.006-05:00

My fourth day in Greece was very special. Not only am I a huge history buff, but Greco-Roman history is my favorite time period. Everyone else on the team went to the Acropolis and toured the Parthenon and Mars Hill on Sunday but I didn't arrive until Monday night so I missed that adventure. On this glorious morning I was able to spend a few hours exploring one of the most amazing feats of architecture of the ancient world. I traveled with the prayer walking team and then got off at a later stop to begin my hike up to the Acropolis. At the base of the Acropolis I stopped to snap a quick picture or two of Lykavittos, the hill that we prayer walked the day before:

Lykavittos Hill

I finally found the entrance to the Acropolis and was thrilled to walk around and experience such an incredibly historic place.

Greek Amphitheater

Entrance through the Temple of Athena

Parthenon

Words cannot describe my wonder! I so loved walking around and exploring...and trust me, I took many more pictures! However, as I looked at this impressive buildings my heart became burdened for those that worshiped these idols and imaginary gods. As much as I enjoy the story of these myths and legends, they blinded so many from the One True God. I pondered this as I left the Acropolis and headed towards Mars Hill. This is where Paul the Apostle addressed the men of Athens in Acts 17.

Mars Hill

I spent the next 45 minutes on the far right corner of the hill, eating lunch and reading Acts 17. I just couldn't believe I was sitting where Paul had been! I spent some sweet time with Jesus on that hill. And then...

I got up to take more pictures. While I was snapping away I was approached by a Greek gentlemen who asked to take my picture for me. I politely declined and took a step to get a different angle for my next shot. In doing so I slipped on the rock and my new Greek friend caught me. We chatted for a bit, exchanging typical pleasantries, and then he proceeded to rejoice in my eye color and declare his love for me. He said, "This is love at first sight and I must propose marriage to you right now!"

Yes I am serious, no I am not making this up! He must have sensed my shock when I did not respond immediately due to my jaw hitting the floor. He then asked if I had a boyfriend...and that sounded good to me so I said, "Yes!" in hopes that would deter my would be suitor. However, it did not and many questions followed, "How long have you been dating?," "Why aren't you engaged yet?," and "Where is he?" I responded that he was waiting for me down the hill and I must go meet him...and my suitor hollered out, "Tell him he has competition!"

I don't know why strange things happen to me, but this one is for the books! I mean, how many Americans can say they've been proposed to on Mars Hill?

Here are the shots I took while I was talking to my new friend:

The Acropolis as seen from Mars Hill

Lykavittos Hill as seen from Mars Hill
The city of Athens as seen from Mars Hill

After my wonderful morning and early afternoon of exploration I met back up with my group and we went to the soccer field to watch the big soccer game! All week we had been inviting everyone we met to come play or watch and it was so much fun! The teams were both mixed with Greek and American players and everyone played hard and had a blast. For those of you that know me, both teams were thrilled that I declined to don a jersey. My athletic skills are greatly lacking!

After the game the Mayor of one of the local towns treated us to a wonderful dinner! It was a special night celebrating what the Lord had done that week and fellowshipping with our team. After dinner I had the privilege of meeting up with a new friend I'd made on the train for some coffee and hang time. She's an amazing young woman who had some great questions about my faith, reading the Bible and praying. She is a fellow actress so it was a neat connection and God truly prepared us for this sweet time together.

We concluded the night with a prayer experience. We prayed over the work God had been doing, did that week and would continue to do in Athens. It was such a sweet time on our knees and we ended with heartfelt, joyful worship to the King of Kings!

Greece Day 3

2009-04-01T15:40:00.005-05:00

On Day 3 I hiked this:

It was beautiful. We spent the morning prayer walking over Athens. We partnered up and prayed from the Metro station all the way to the top of the hill. Athens has 6 million residents and only 4,000 claim the Christian faith. Please pray with us for this city, rich in biblical history but blind to the true Light of the World.

Here are a few shots of the climb:

The beginning of the climb
At the top of the stairs, about to start hiking switchbacks
A view of the city from the bottom of the hill

Let the real climb begin!
View from the top: The Acropolis (zoomed in a lot)

The breathtaking city of Athens

There was a chapel at the top and you could light candles for loved ones. I thought this was a neat shot.
Just to prove I actually made it to the top. Even though it took me awhile (many thanks to my patient prayer partner, Seth.) And yes, I am showing some Rush of Fools love with the t-shirt!
The prayer walking team

Greece Day 2

2009-04-01T13:29:00.008-05:00

Day 2 came a tad early for me, but I was ready to explore the beauty of Greece! Everyone was already split into teams and those teams went to a different site each day. I joined the Media Team so I could visit as many sites as possible. Our team started off by joining the group conducting interviews of Greek locals. Students would approach different people and interview them about their culture, traditions and religious beliefs and practices. Everyone was delightful to talk with and openly shared about their rich culture.

Rows and rows of coffee shops...coffee is a BIG DEAL in Greece!
One of the teams paused for a photo op before starting their interviews!

After discussing traditions with our server (who wouldn't teach me any Greek dances, despite the fact that I was ready and willing to learn!) we piled in the van to visit the crew that was clearing away brush and planting new trees as part of a city beautification project.Clearing away the brush

The team takes a lunch break

We enjoyed lunch and a hike up the hill with this crew then we made our way to the sports clinics. Every afternoon our team split up to either lead or participate in several different sports, aerobics and dance classes in the community. This gave us an opportunity to meet more Greeks and learn their way of life in hopes of having a chance to talk with them about their way of life. I joined our two resident black belts for the Tae Kwon Do class. And no, I did not participate!

Shawn was incredible! He taught those kids some moves! He and his sister Kjerstin are from Alaska and are two of the sweetest people!
Kjerstin is an amazing young woman. She was born deaf but can now hear and speak thanks to a cochlear transplant! Not to mention she's a black belt. And from Alaska.

After the sports adventures (other teams went to fencing, aerobics, ballet, traditional Greek dance, basketball, and soccer) we headed back for dinner at our homestead and then had a wonderful night of worship. I was able to share a piece from my new show Grace's Cafe. Here's a shot of Stella (not in costume, as I had no costumes in Greece!)

Stella is a great character!

After such a full day it was early to bed to prepare for the hike we tackled on Wednesday!

Greece Day 1

2009-03-26T15:19:00.005-05:00

My first day in Greece coincided with dinner so I met the team and enjoyed fantastic Greek food right off the bat!

Maria, the restaurant owner, and Dr. Jerry from GA Southern

One of the servers serving up some Greek delights!

Jennifer led worship, and Mark was our project coordinator. Jennifer and I went to college together and lived in London together so it was wonderful to catch up with her again!

Maria, her sister and the kitchen and serving crew!

Greece Updates Coming Soon

2009-03-26T10:08:00.002-05:00

My deepest apologies for not being able to update you during the trip last week. Blogger locked me out of this blog and I've only today regained access. I will be updating this blog with stories, photos and video of the trip throughout the day. Thank you so much for your prayers...the Lord moved in some amazing ways! I look forward to sharing with you!

Greece!!

2009-03-17T08:09:00.004-05:00

Hey everyone! I arrived safely in Athens, Greece and have had a wonderful time so far! I will have more time later tonight to load some pictures and hopefully some video, but I wanted to check in and let you know I arrived safely. The ministry teams are doing a great job! They are meeting locals in coffee shops and learning about their culture through questions. Today a team was helping to clear brush from a recent wildfire, others are prayer walking and doing construction work. The teams are about to meet back up and then break off into groups doing sports ministry...and by sports I mean basketball and fencing. Tae Kwan Do and low impact aerobics. Totally random, but hey, it's all about meeting some locals and loving them by hanging out with them, right? Thank you so much for your prayers, please continue to lift our team of 50 up to the Lord. Feel free to post questions and comments!

Fuge Winter Weekend

2009-03-15T16:23:00.003-05:00

What a whirlwind of a weekend! (I like alliteration, can't you tell?) I had a wonderful time at Ridgecrest, NC this weekend performing for Fuge Winter Weekend. Almost 30 amazing staffers led students in Bible study, Michael Spooner of Nashville, TN led worship and Gary Morgan, pastor of Mosaic church in Nashville shared the Word. What an honor it was to share the message of the Gospel alongside these guys! I was able to share a few sketches from my upcoming show Grace's Cafe...and they loved it! Several adults and students responded to the pieces and shared how the Lord touched them through the message of Grace's Cafe. I can't wait to debut the show next fall!

I left Ridgecrest today around 11 and made the six hour drive back to Nashville heading straight to the airport, and here I sit awaiting my flight for Athens, Greece. Well, technically I'm going to Washington/Dulles first, then Frankfurt, Germany and then Athens, but you know what I mean. :) All in all I'll be traveling for about 24 hours, please pray that I am able to sleep on the flight tonight! After all of the excitment this weekend, I'm fairly certain it won't be a problem.

I've got a few videos to edit from the past couple events so hopefully I'll get those posted soon, but I'll be posting Greece stuff (if I have internet) as soon as I can! Thank you for praying for our team, I am looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to work. Have a blessed week!

A Youth Minister's Thoughts on Worthy is the Lamb

2009-02-16T12:38:00.005-06:00

Jeremy Jones, youth minister at Mt. Hebron Baptist Church in Elmore, AL shares his thoughts about Worthy is the Lamb.

Conclave::Day 1&2

2009-01-30T23:48:00.012-06:00

We've had a great time at Conclave in Atlanta this weekend! Francis Chan has brought the Word two nights in a row and this guy has done an amazing job leading worship. Our booth has been busy busy and I've met some super cool people! Here are a few of them:

That's my friend Kaiti talking about DE to some fabulous visitors!
And that's one stylish lady signing up for the newsletter :)

These folks were super fun! We had a great time talking about
how DE could minister to the students in their city.
I told you they were super fun!

This guy stopped by.

So I gave him some information, you know, the brochure, the card, a sticker or two.

This is me saying, "Have you had a Dramatic Encounter?"

This is him looking confused by the question.

Maybe he'll come back tomorrow; I forgot to give him a purple pen!

Southeast Conclave

2009-01-27T21:48:00.002-06:00

We're stoked about visiting the great city of Atlanta this weekend! If you're headed to Southeast Conclave this weekend then please visit our booth and say hello! We're giving away two $25 iTunes gift cards at our table and one $50 iTunes gift card at the giveaway booth, now that's something you don't want to miss. We'll also share with you ways you can use drama in your ministry and we just might have some candy on hand as well. See you there!

Southeast Conclave Details

IMB Staff Luncheon

2009-01-26T15:01:00.005-06:00

Earlier this month DE had the privilege of performing for the International Mission Board staff luncheon in Richmond, VA. I enjoyed meeting so many people who are so intricately involved with sending so many laborers out into the harvest. I learned so much about the process and the history of this great ministry! It was an experience I won't soon forget.

Chris, my fantastic hostess!

What do you hold on to that gets you through?

Hilary from The Thread

Pennsylvania Women's Tea

2009-01-26T14:26:00.006-06:00

I had a wonderful time on my first trip to PA! Louann, Deb, and so many other women made my time in PA quite special. Thanks ladies!

Dramatic Encounter was a part of three womens teas and we were able to perform The Thread for the student ministry on Wednesday night. Check out the pictures!

The fellowship hall with lots of good food!

The beautiful Lee Anne Tobin leading worship

In the middle of a sketch...I must've been really concentrating!

My wonderful host family! Dinner was AMAZING!!

Valentine's Special!

2009-01-13T12:21:00.003-06:00

Are you looking for something new and fun for Valentine's this year? Let Dramatic Encounter entertain your special guests at your event this year! For details about the "Valentine's Special" visit the website here.

FlipCam=Good Times

2008-12-07T22:44:00.007-06:00

So when I picked up the giveaway prize for YS I also snagged one for Dramatic Encounter to use as well. This way I can share with all of you the exciting adventures of my travels!

Youth Minister Chris Dortch shares about Dramatic Encounter:

The second video goes to show you that at the end of YS things get a little crazy, youth ministers say funny things, and I say "Awesome" a lot.

Catching Up...Youth Specialties National Youth Worker Convention

2008-12-07T14:27:00.002-06:00

Whew! Was this a great weekend, or what?! It was my first time to exhibit at this convention and I had a blast meeting ministers and lay workers from all over the country! For four days I was able to share my heart and the calling of this ministry with folks and I loved every minute of it. One of the most poignant moments for me was meeting Fred.

Fred is originally from Kenya and when he stopped by to chat I told him that my Mom sponsored a child in Kenya through World Vision and I sponsored a child in Zimbabwe. He then shared with me how World Vision had made in impact on his community as a child. He told me about the trucks he saw bringing in supplies, the children who were sponsored and were able to get an education they otherwise wouldn't receive, and how God was using World Vision to make a difference for Christ in Africa. I've long been a supporter of the ministry of World Vision, in fact, if Dramatic Encounter ever ceased to exist all of the company's assets would be donated to World Vision, so to hear this wonderful account blessed my heart and encouraged me in my continued support. If you would like to learn more about World Vision, sponsor a child, or make a one time donation, please visit their website.

Thank you to all of those that stopped by our booth and hung out with us. We really enjoyed the opportunity to share about what we do and we hope to be working with you in the next year!

Catching Up...Women's Forum & Mt Vernon Baptist

2008-12-07T14:12:00.002-06:00

I've been traveling and working non stop lately so it's been tough to find time to update this ole blog of mine. However, I'm taking this wonderful Sunday afternoon to catch up on where I've been.

At the beginning of November I had the privilege to team up with Rachel Lovingood at LifeWay's National Women's Leadership Forum in Nashville. She's a great host and we always have a good time opening the sessions up with fun sketches! This was my first year to teach a class and we learned some creative ways to spice up women's events. Next year there will be two Forum's--back to back! You don't want to miss this wonderful time of training and refreshement. Check out more details at LifeWay's website.

After a day of rest I flew to West Monroe, LA to join a college friend of mine for a weekend of ministry. Emily is now a youth minister at Mt. Vernon Baptist and she was gracious to host me for Entrenched 08, their student disicipleship weekend. I presented The Thread Saturday night and did a few sketches Sunday evening as well. The Lord is doing some great work at Mt. Vernon and raising up some strong leaders!

Baby Zachariah is with Jesus

2008-11-06T09:42:00.003-06:00

I am very sad to have to say this, Zachariah died last night.November 5, 2008.

Zachariah was a gift from God with a purpose!!!! We may not totally understand right now why he had to live a short life, but God's plans are perfect.

Zachariasz (His Roma name) caused many of us to be on our knees before God in petitioning prayer for many months. The many trips to the hospitals became times of Ola sharing her faith and the gospel message with many other parents who had very sick children too. Ola is a faithful wittiness for the Lord.Andrzej is a bold wittiness to all also.

Please pray for Ola & Andrzej Mirga as they arrange the funeral and suffer the physical loss of their son Zachariasz.

Please pray for God's grace & peace that passes all understanding.

Please pray that God will be glorified through all of this. Pray that the mouths of the mockers and unbelievers will be stopped. Pray that they will see God in this and not be confirmed in their minds that our God is not real.
Ola Mirga, last night told me to say to you all "Thank you all for your prayers for me and my family!!!!"
Z Bogiem, Jerry & family

For more information please visit The Fuge Blog

Urgent Prayer for Baby Zachariah

2008-11-04T16:45:00.004-06:00

Dear Friends,

Please pray for Ola and Andrzej as their son Zachariah is back in the hospital and in critical condition. It seems as though his kidneys as well as other organs are failing and the doctors believe that he may not pull through. Ola and Andrzej's faith is strong, but their hearts are suffering deeply. Please lift them up that they may feel an incredible presence of peace, comfort, strength, and love during this very difficult time.

Love,
The Goss'

For more updates as they come visit the new Fuge Blog

Fuge Roma Mission Video 4

2008-09-15T11:45:00.002-05:00

Fuge Roma Mission Video 3

2008-09-15T11:26:00.002-05:00

Fuge Roma Mission Video 2

2008-09-14T21:58:00.002-05:00

Fuge Roma Mission Video 1

2008-09-14T21:30:00.004-05:00

Fuge Camp Training

2008-05-16T15:23:00.002-05:00

I'm here in Campbellsville, KY for Fuge camp program training. I've spent the last two and a half days blocking and running all of the dramas for camp. We are doing a four day AM show in the morning, two sketches for worship and four night life's. My partner and I are having a blast running lines and developing our characters.

We leave next Wednesday, the 21st, to move into Ridgecrest and get things rolling there. We'll train our staff for a week and a half and then camp starts June 2nd! Please pray for us as we prepare program elements and our leadership team meets to develop plans for training week.

Happy Birthday Dramatic Encounter!

2008-05-02T22:47:00.002-05:00

Dramatic Encounter turned 3 on May 1st!! What an exciting journey this has been. I'm so thankful for God's direction and the support of my family and friends--not to mention the fantastic churches and ministries who have hosted DE over the past few years. Thank you for believing in DE!!

Europe: In Conclusion

2008-04-07T23:21:00.002-05:00

This trip was one I won't soon forget. I still can't believe that I was able to go and experience such a wonderful taste of what God is doing with the Roma in Central and Eastern Europe! The Roma are hungering and thirsting for God and He is filling their cups and their souls with the milk and honey of His Word. I stand amazed at what God can do through a life surrendered...watching men like Daniel and Jerry inspire me. I pray that I am as willing to say yes when God calls me to such heights (or depths for that matter). I am thankful to Fuge for the opportunity to serve on this trip. I pray that because these stories will be told at camps nationwide this summer that more Roma will come to know our great God.

Roma Missions Trailer

2008-04-07T22:44:00.000-05:00

Fuge '08 Roma Trailer from Fuge on Vimeo.

Poland

2008-04-07T22:10:00.004-05:00

Monday January 21st we got to the airport at 6 in the morning to get Lorie on her flight but our flight didn't leave until ten. I fell asleep for a few hours across some chairs and we finally arrived in Poland around 3. Jerry Goss picked us up and it was an immediate friendship. The Goss family has been serving in Poland for four years and their ministry will be our prayer focus this summer. Let me just go ahead and tell you that the Goss family is awesome. They were gracious hosts whose passion for the Lord and desire to reach the Roma became evident in minutes.

They took us to a Roma home in the city in an old Communist apartment block and we met with a sweet family that hosted prayer and Bible study in their home. They live in one of the most dangerous areas and yet they cover their humble home with prayer and the word of God. We prayed with and for these brothers and sisters and heard their testimonies and how God was moving in their lives today.

The next day we went to the village and met with more believers. We heard a heart wrenching testimony of how one family has lost two children, and their third child is ill and not expected to survive, yet they trust that God has their lives in His hands. They continue to serve and believe and hope for more healthy children. Please pray for baby Zachariah. The doctors have done what they can but we know the Great Physician can do so much more!

Please lift up Jerry and his family as well. He has 5 daughters, 2 are stateside and the other three serve with him and his wife Brenda. Their commitment to the Lord and his work is humbling and challenging and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have spent time with them.

Day 6-Romania

2008-04-07T21:15:00.005-05:00

I am sitting in a Romanian church viewing and experiencing worship in a primitive form. Several members of our team have preached through Alex, our fantastic interpreter. I was able to perform "Worthy of Glory" earlier and Alex translated. It was a very sweet experience. Mijhai smiled at me the whole time!

The past several days have been wonderful! We arrived in Romania on Friday after a rather interesting flight. Let's just say that there was so much luggage for the flight that half of the suitcases were put in the cabin. I was originally sitting in the back of the plane and got bumped to "first class" to make room for the bags. And by first class I mean the first seat on the plane. :) We were taken to the Hotel Christian as soon as we arrived and I'll never forget the feeling of darkness I felt in the street. We settled in and Daniel, the M for the region, took us to a really cute pizza place for dinner. We had fantastic conversation and then filmed Daniel's interview in the restaurant. We got a walking tour of Cluj after dinner and then hit the hay to get ready for the next day.

We loaded up early and went to the village where the four students we prayed for last year live. We found Alex, Adam, Mijhai and Mirela easily and spent a wonderful few hours getting to know them and conducting a follow up interview. We played in the snow and they taught me how to ask questions in Romanian. They were so much fun! When I asked them what their favorite things to do where their list included things like, "read the Bible," "sing songs to Jesus," and "memorize Bible verses."

After we left that village we went to another village to minister to a young woman who was pregnant when Daniel left on furlough. All he knew was that she was pregnant and the only believer in her village. It was a miracle we found her! We drove around and Alex just asked people on the street if they knew who we were talking about! We finally found her and she had had the baby, a son named Stalion. We were able to pray with her and for her child and encourage her family. We had to hike up a hill of mud to get to her house and we removed our shoes in freezing weather so we wouldn't track mud in their meager home. Her family was so incredibly gracious...when we were leaving the men of the family laid cardboard down for us to walk on and they had laid out our shoes in pairs! It was so sweet to see their desire to serve.

And this brings me back to Sunday, our last day in Romania. We had lunch at the church and then another lunch at the pastor's house! While we were at Pastor Florine's Daniel told him and his wife that my birthday was the next day. Florine pulled out his accordion and he and his wife sang Happy Birthday to me in Romanian! It was so cute! Later that night our team plus the World Changer team got together at McDonald's and Daniel surprised me with a mini birthday party filled with ice cream sundae's and apple pies. It was definitely a birthday to remember!

Keep coming back for more!

2008-04-01T13:28:00.002-05:00

I have more entries and am working on the getting the pictures up soon! Please keep checking back for more stories from Europe! The initial trailer is also complete and I'll try to get that posted soon as well. Thanks for reading!

Prauge Day 2/3 :: January 17th

2008-03-12T22:24:00.004-05:00

On Tuesday I boarded a plane bound for Prague, Chezch Republic to begin an Eastern European adventure of a lifetime. Fuge Camps hired me to be the host of 2008's Summer Mission Videos featuring the Roma people group of Central and Eastern Europe. I'm here with Lorie, Fuge Missions Coordinator, Neil, Fuge Creative Director, and Ben, our production assistant.

We arrived in Prague Wednesday morning after little sleep on our overnight flight. We checked into Hotel Olsanka then hopped on the tram to the IMB office. One wrong tram later we were on our way! We arrived just in time to meet our first "M," BH*. BH serves the Roma in central Czech Republic and is a strategy coordinator focusing on church planting and relationship building. During our interviews with the M's we asked questions about their journey to the mission field, their work with the Roma and how they've seen life change happen in them and around them.

After four more interviews we scouted out locations for Thursday's shoot with SJ, the communications specialist for Central and Eastern Europe. We then met up with the International World Changers crew for dinner at a Chezch restaurant for what we have dubbed as the meal of meat. Just imagine platter upon platter of meat in all shapes and sizes...I ate my vegetables that night!

Thursday began with a trip to Wenceslas Square to film the first of several location clips. I got miced up and then Neil set up about 200 feet away for a long distance shot. He says it was a great effect--people were walking in and out of the scene and it gave the shoot authenticity. Afterwards we went to Old Towne for some candid shots on the Flip video (a little hand held video recorder). Neil's idea was to have me chronicle my personal journey and use it as added perspective during the mission videos.

We were able to see the Astronomical Clock in Old Towne. It's one of Prague's biggest tourist attractions. The clock features a medallion with the signs of the zodiac as well as two doors above the clock face. When the top of the hour chimes the doors open and the 12 apostles parade in and out each door. We also saw the statue of John Huss, the forerunner to Martin Luther. Huss was burned at the stake, a martyr for his faith.

After lunch SJ took us to the Prague Castle. We did some filming at St. Vitas' Cathedral and then a mission video shot at a scenic overlook of the city. After all of our filming was done, SJ took us to see some local sights like the Lennon Wall and St. Charles Bridge (where Mission Impossible was filmed).

It's been an exhausting, exciting and exhilarating two days! Tomorrow we fly to Cluj, Romania to find the students we prayed for last year and get updates on them. Only one, Mijahi, has a phone--it's going to be an adventure to find them all! God has protected and provided each step of the way. It's and honor and a blessing to tell the story of the Roma.

*Some names have been changed to protect those serving in sensitive locations

Welcome!

2008-03-08T21:59:00.002-06:00

Welcome to Dramatic Encounter's venture into the blogging world! I'm looking forward to sharing stories and pictures about what God is doing through this ministry. I'll be posting entries from Europe soon!